Apparatus for conditioning the surfaces of metal bodies



Sept. 8, 1942. J. H. BUCKNAM ETAL APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING THE SURFACES OF METAL BODIES Filed May :5, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS JAMES H. BUCKNAM MELVIN J. HARRIS R E L m M IM- D E R F L A ATT'O R N EY Sept. 1942- J. H. BUCKNAM ETAL 2,295,523

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING THE SURFACES OF METAL BODIES Filed May 3, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi INVENTORS 7 JAMES H. BUCKNAM MELVIN J. HARRIS ALFRED J. MILLER ATTORNEY p 8, 1942- J.,H. BUCKNAM ETAL 2,295,523

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING THE SURFACES OF METAL BODIES Filed May 3; 1958 6 Sheets- Sheet 3 INVENTORS JAMES H. BUCKNAM MELVIN J. HARRIS ALFRED J. MILLER TORNEY Sept. 8, 1942.

.1. H. BUCKNAM ET AL 2,295,523 APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONEENG THE SURFACES OF METAL BODIES Filed May 3, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS' 75% JAMES H.BUCKNAM MELVINALHARRIS 5/ ALFRED J.MILL.ER

ATTORNEY P 1942- J. H. BUCKNAM ETAL 2,295,523

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING THE SURFACES OF METAL BODIES Filed May 3, 1958 I Sheets-Sheet 5 l f I I INVENTORS' JAMES H. BUCKNAM MELVIN J. HARRIS ALFED J. MILLER P 8, 1942- J. H. BUCKNAM ETAL 95,523

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING THE SURFACES 0F METAL BODIES Filed May 3, 1938 UZ/D- 0 e Sheets-Sheet s INVENTORS JAMES H. BUCKNAM MELVIN J. HARRIS TTRNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1942 APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING THE SURFACES OF IVIETAL BODIES James H. Bucknam, Melvin J. Harris, and Alfred J. Miller, Cranford, N. J., assignors to The Linde Air Products Company, a corporation of Ohio Application May 3, 1939, Serial No. 271,486

19 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of conditioning the surfaces of metal bodies and more particularly to apparatus for thermo-chemically desurfacing semi-finished steel shapes such as blooms, beam blanks, and slabs.

In the casting of the ingots and during the hot rolling of steel, defects such as surface cracks, slag inclusions, seams, and the like, appear in the surface of the steel being processed and in order to reduce the number of rejections of finished steel products made therefrom, these surface defects are generally removed before or at an intermediate state of the rolling. Defects have been eliminated by chipping away the defective surface metal. Hand-operated blowpipes employing suitable nozzles have also come into use for thermo-chemically removing the defective surface metal adjacent each defect. Machines equipped with thermo-chemical surface-removing nozzles are now used for simultaneously conditioning the entire side surfaces of rectangular two opposite side faces while the billets are at rolling temperature and while they are passing from one rolling operation to the next. When slabs are rolled from blooms, the blooms are flattened out and defects on the wide faces tend to be more dispersed. Depending upon the rolling procedure, a concentration of defects along the lateral edges of the slab may occur. Some cracks may also be formed due to a more rapid cooling of the lateral edges. Structural steel shapes such as I-beams, heavy channels, etc., are commonly rolled from rectangular ingots by forming blanks, such as beam blanks, having a cross-sectional outline somewhat similar to the finished structural shape. The ingots are rolled into blooms which are gradually reduced and rolled into beam blanks, and the beam blanks are rolled into the structural shape by a large number of successive changes in shape and reductions in thickness. In the rolling of such shapes, difliculty is experienced in maintaining the flanges free from cracks and seams. If any such cracks and seams remain in th'eflnished beam, the strength of the beam is seriously impaired because the stresses are usually concentrated in the surface metal along the outer edges of the beam. It has been found that such weaknesses can be largely eliminated by desurfacing those portions of the beam blank from which the most highly stressed portions of the finished beam will be formed. In a beam blank, this metal is adjacent the outer corners of the beam. Also.

the type of rolling procedure necessary and the increased cooling of the edges tend to cause more the flanges of the beam.

By the present invention, there is provided a mechanism for simultaneously removing surface metal from the upper outer corners of a beam blank. Beam blanks and slabs vary greatly in width, hence the apparatus should be adapted for quick adjustment to the width of each beam blank or slab to be processed. Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a machine for thermo-chemically removing defective metal from both flange portions of a beam blank, or the like. It is also an object to provide a machine for thermo-chemically desurfacing the lateral edges of slabs of varying widths.

Other objects of the invention are; to provide an apparatus for conditioning the surfaces of steel shapes which may be quickly adjusted according to the width of a large range of sizes of steel shapes; to provide a steel conditioning apparatus that may be installed to operate in conjunction with the roll table of a steel mill; to provide such apparatus for,supporting blowpipe heads in operative relation with respect to separate longitudinal surface portions of a steel shape which shall permit such heads to independently follow variations in the position of successive portions of such surfaces; and to provide such apparatus for independently supporting blowpipe heads for independent transverse and vertical movement which will shift such heads back into alignment in preparation for operation on another steel body if shifted out of such alignment during operation of a previously treated steel body. 4

These andother objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a machine embodying the principles of the present invention arranged for removing'surface metal from adjacent the outer upper corners of a beam blank;

Fig. 2 is a right-side elevational view of the left-hand unit of the machine shown in Fig. -1; a Fig. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale of a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, with the blowpipe heads removed;

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing one of the sup porting carriages of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a horizontal section taken through line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 6 and '7 are respectively side elevational and plan views of carriage units showing mechanism for regulating the separation distance between the two carriage units of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of an alternative blowpipe head arrangement particularly adapted for removing surface metal from the edge surfaces of a slab and an alternative mechanism for adjusting the separation between such heads;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary end-elevational view of the blowpipe head and spacing device shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary front-elevational view of the blowpipe head shown in Fig. 8 positioned for desurfacing the edge of a slab mounted on a narrow conveyor.

There is a stage during the rolling of blooms when they can be deseamed most economically. The ingots are liable to have very deep surface defects and therefore it would require a relatively heavy deseaming cut to remove them. Alc though the surface area involved at first is relatively small, as the rolling operation approaches completion the surface area is greatly increased.

The depth of the defects, however, is considerably less so that the depth of cut necessary to remove the defects is less. If the structural shape is almost completely rolled, a deseaming operation which gouges out random amounts of metal wherever these defects are found, would be likely to throw the section out of balance and an improperly formed beam may result. It will be seen, therefore, that at some intermediate point of the rolling cycle, the maximum amount of defects can be eliminated by removing only a relatively small amount of surface metal and without throwing the beam blank out of balance. The adaptability of a machine constructed according to the principles of this invention, in respect to the sizes and shapes of blanks it will desurface, permits it to be used at such points in the rolling cycle where the maximum benefits will be most economically obtained. Shapes to be treated may be rectangular or of any standard shape usually encountered, and by interchange of the desurfacing heads or adjustment thereof, a large variety of different shapes and sizes can be readily desurfaced. An embodiment of the machine herein described is, for example, shown adjusted for desurfacing I-beam blanks. It has been found most economical to condition or desurface the I-beam blank immediately after it leaves the blooming mill, because the subsequent rolling operation considerably increases the surface area of the beam blank and desurfacing such increased area would result in the removal of much more surface metal.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the beam blank B is supported on the rolls R of a roll table or conveyor 0. The rollers R are supported by bearings F in which their axles are journaled and are turned by gearing l2 which couples them to a drive shaft l3. The desurfacing machine comprises two units indicated generally by D and E and which are supported by carriages l4 and I5. The carriages l4 and ii are supported by a transverse overhead track T comprising rails I6 secured to the top flanges of a pair of horizontal transverse I-beams l1. Since the detailed alike but opposite handed, the elements of only one of the units will be described.

The supporting carriage comprises a rectangular frame l8 and wheels I! mounted near each corner of the carriage and adjacent the longer sides thereof. Wheels I9 are mounted on the ends of axles 20 which are carried in bearings 2| secured to the outside surfaces of the longer frame members of frame l8. Two of the wheels on one side of the frame l8 are provided with double flanges in order to guide the carriage accurately with respect to one of the rails only. One of the shafts 20 is geared to a motor M by means of a worm wheel 22 mounted on the shaft and a worm 23 which meshes with the worm wheel 22 and is mounted on a jack shaft 24. The jack shaft 24 is carried in a bearing 25 secured to the inside face of one end member of the frame It! and a bearing 26 which is secured in one of the two cross braces 21. A sprocket 28 is secured to the inner end of the shaft 24 and is geared to a sprocket 29 on the shaft of the motor M by a chain 30. From the carriage frame [8, two supporting members 3| depend downwardly between the beams i1 and are secured to the top of a blowpipe carrier-supporting frame 32.

The blowpipe carrier frame 32 has no back and front walls but relatively long vertical side-walls 33 and 34 and top and bottom walls 35 and 36. The blowpipe head shown generally at H is carried by a carrier plate 31 which is supported by mechanism that permits it to float universally in a plane that is transverse to the beam blanks B and substantially vertical. The supporting mechanism comprises a pair of link plates 38 which are normally substantially parallel to the sides 33 and 34, and are horizontally swingable. The forward upper and lower corner portions of the plates 38 are provided with outwardly projecting ears 39 which are hingedly connected to corresponding bearings 40 secured to the inside faces of the sides 33 and 34 and near the forward edge thereof, the ears 39 being connected by hinge pins 41 which are Journaled in the bearings 40. The hinged plates 38, which have their central portions cut out for lightness as shown in Fig. 3, extend backwardly to points beyond the rear edges of the side plates 33 and 34. The links 33 are hinged to a transverse rear plate 42 which has upper and lower cross members 43 and 44 that extend over the top and bottom edges of the links 38. The ends of the members 43 and 44 are connected by hinge pins 45 which are journaled in bearings 48 that are secured to the outside faces of the links 38 and near the upper and lower rear corners thereof. By so mounting the rear plate 42 it may be freely moved laterally through a limited displacement to either side but the plate will be maintained always parallel to its normal position.

The carrier plate 31 is supported by a pair of forwardly extending horizontal link plates 41 substantially narrower than the space between the links 38. The plates 47 pass through an opening in the back plate 42 in order that they may be hinged upon hinge pins 48 (see Fig. 5) that have their ends journaled in bearings 49. The bearings 48 are secured against the rear face of the rear plate 42 and near the upper and lower members 43 and 44 thereof. The forward ends of the plates 41 extend slightly beyond the forward edges of the sides 33 and 34 and are hinged on a pin 50. The ends of the pins 50 are joumaled in corresponding bearings parts of the units D and E are substantially 5, ;.5 which are secured to the rear face of the car- Suitable counterbalance weights or springs cou d be employed. However, it is foundpreferable to employ an air cylinder 52 which is pivotally secured at its lower end to a forwardly projecting bracket 53 at the lower left-hand portion of the rear plate 42. The piston rod 54 of the air-cylinder 52 extends vertically upward and is hinged to the end of a horizontal lever 55 by a c1ev1s55. The mid-portion of the lever 55 is fulcrumed on the end of a forwardly and upwardly extending bracket 51-, the bracket 51 being secured to the will be locked in the upward position. To move the plate 31 downward to the operating position, air-pressure is applied in the head-end of the cylinder 58 so as to move the pivot 55 forwardly over center. To prevent movement of the carrier plate 31 too far downwardly, a stop plate 13 is secured to the top of the bracket 55 and positioned for engaging the bottom face of the upper left-hand portion of the rear plate 42.

The other end of the lever 55" is hinged by a clevis 58 to the connecting rod 58 which has its lower end pivotally secured to the left edge of y the lower link 41 at 58. Thus, air-pressure applied and maintained in the rod end of the cylinder 52 produces a downward force on the rod 54 suflicient to counterbalance a substantial portion of the weight of the heads H, carrier plate 31 and other'mechanism attached thereto. The counterbalancing air pressure supplied to cylinder 52 is preferably on continuously and may be controlled by a regulator and a relief valve for maintaining a uniform pressure.

Power means is also provided for quickly raising and lowering the carrier plate 31. Such means comprises toggle links 5| and 52, the upper end of the toggle 5| being pivotally connected at 53 to the mid-portion of the upper link 41 and the lower end of the toggle 52 being pivotally connected at 54 to the end of a bracket 55 extending forwardly from the lower edge of the back plate 42. The inner end of the toggles 5| and 52 are hinged together by a hinge-pin 55. The piston rod 51 of an air-cylinder 58 is also hinged to the pin 55 by an end bearing 58. The

I air-cylinder 58 is provided with a pair of horizontally extending lateral trunnions 18 which are journaled in two brackets 1| that extend rearwardly from the plate 42 on each side of the cylinder, the plate 42 being cut out between the brackets 1| in order to provide clearance for the cylinder 58, which projects therethrough. When air-pressure is applied in the rod end of cylinder 58, the rod 51 is retracted which tends to straighten out the toggle 5|, 52, thus increasing the distance between the points 53 and 54. The carrier plate 31 is thereby effectively raised.

It is preferable that the upward movement of the carrier plate 31 shall be limited by stops. To this end a pair of blocks 12 are secured to the forward faces of the toggles 5| and 52 near the pin 55. When the toggle joint 55 is moved rearwardly sufliciently far to just pass a center line connecting points 53 and 54, the blocks 12 will touch each other and, because the toggle is then overcentered, the weight of the plate 31 alone (if the air-pressure is then released from the rod end of the cylinder 58) will tend to move the hinge 55 further to the rear. Such further move- -ment, however, is prevented by the stop blocks 12 and the toggle is locked so that the plate 31 lower link 41 when the extreme desired limit of downward movement is reached. When the carrier plate 31 is moved upwardly to the extreme upward position, it is preferable that it should be guided laterally and held in the normal position, which is with the links 38 substantially parallel with the sides 33 and 34. To this end a guide plate 14 having a wedge-shaped loweredge is secured in the upper right-hand comer of the frame 32. A similar guide-plate 15 is secured in the upper left-hand corner of the frame 32. To engage with the guides 14 and 15, two laterally extending brackets or stops 15 are secured to the upper corners of. the plates 31. The extreme width between the stops 15 is slightly less-than the distance between the guides 0 14 and 15, and if the carrier 31 is to the left or to the right of its normal position when lowered, the guides 14 and 15, by engaging with stops 16, will move the carrier plate back to its normal position when it is raised to the extreme upper position and guides 14 and 15 will cause the carrier plate to be positioned centrally, at least when first lowered.

For securing the head H to the carrier plate 31, two hooks 83 are provided and also two screws 11. The head H comprises a mounting plate 18 that has openings 18 therein through which the hooks 83 project when the plate 18 is hung on the carrier 31. Plate 18 is firmly secured to the carrier 31 by tightening the screws 11. Secured against the front face of the plates 18 are two blowpipe shoes 88 and 8|. The shoe 88 is a boxlike blowpipe head and nozzle enclosure having a bottom that engages the surface 82 of the flange portion of the beam blank B. The blowpipe nozzles N project through the front wall of the shoe 88 at the proper oblique angle and are supplied with gas by a nozzle header 84 secured within the shoe 88. A combustible gas mixture is supplied to the nozzle header 84 by blowpipes 85. The shoe 8| is arranged to engage the upper portion of the side face of the beam blanks B and is preferably adiustably secured to the mounting plate 18. To this end, the rear portion of the shoe 8| is pivoted on a stud 81 and is provided with laterally-projecting ears 88 having slotted openings so that the head can be adjusted about .the pivot 81 when the securing screws 58 are loosened. The shoe 8| is similarly provided with a suitable number of nozzles N which are supplied with gas by a nozzle header 88 connected with blowpipes 8|. I

A lateral guide shoej 82 is also provided for maintaining the heads '88 and 8| in alignment with, and in contact with the surfaces 82 and 85. The. shoe 82 is positioned to engage the inner face of the flange portion of the beam blank .8. The shoe 82 is secured to the end of a bell-crank lever-84 which is pivoted on a stud 85 extending pressed toward the flange surface 93 and thus uge the shoe 8| toward the surface 88.

Since the slag produced by the desurfacing operation tends to run down on and adhere to the surfaces adjacent to the surfaces 82 and 88 being treated, it is found preferable to provide means for preventing such slag from going on the adjacent surfaces before it has been sufficiently chilled. Such means comprises a pair of nozzles 99 and I which direct blasts of air against the surfaces 93 and 88 adjacent to the desurfacing reaction, the air blast being also directed toward the reaction zone. The nozzle 99 is conveniently secured to the shoe 92, while the nozzle I00 is secured to the underside of the shoe 8I.

For positioning the two units D and E with respect to beam blanks of various widths, both carriages I4 and I may be motor driven and each provided with an electric motor M connected to its wheels. The movements of the carriages I4 and I5 are each individually stopped when theyreach their correct positions over the beam blank. To this end, a limit switch MI is provided on each carriage. The switch IOI has an obliquely downwardly extending contact arm I02 which makes contact with a cam I03 that is secured by a. clamp I04 to the flange of the supporting I-beam I1. Each cam I03 may be properly positioned along the I-beam so that when the cam engages with the arm I02 and stops the motor M, the heads H will be properly positioned over the surfaces to be treated.

If the widths of the beam blanks to be treated vary often, it may not be convenient to reset the cams I03 each time. In this event, the alternative arrangement shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be employed. Such means for conveniently and quickly adjusting the distance between the carriages I4 and I5 comprises a rack-bar I05 secured to the upper inside corner of the carriage I5 and extending along the top surface of the carriage I4. The rack-bar I05 is guided in a channel formed by a pair of parallel angle irons I 08 secured to the top surface of the carriage I4.

Teeth are formed on the upper sides of the rackbar I05 to engage a pinion I01 secured to a horizontal transverse shaft I08. The shaft I08 is journaled in bearings I09 and has also secured thereto a worm wheel IIO which meshes with a worm III mounted at the end of the shaft of an electric motor H2. The motor H2 is mounted on a bridge-like bracket II3 that extends across the bar I05 and is secured to the top plate of the carriage I4. It will be seen that when the electric motor I I2 is energized, the worm III will turn the worm wheel I I0, shaft I08, and pinion I01, and cause the rack I05 to move toward or away from the carriage I4, thus moving the two carriages toward or away from each other in accordance with the direction of rotation of the motor H2. The pitch of the worm I II and wheel 0 is such that the gearing is irreversible, that is, the friction involved is great enough due to the large speed reduction, that force applied to the rack I 05 tending to either separate the carriages I4 and I5 or to force them closer together cannot cause the electric motor II2 to turn. Therefore, the carriages will be locked in their respective positions whenever the electric motor II 2 is deenergized. When this arrangement for adjusting the separation of the carriages I4 and II is employed, the drive motor M of the carriage I4 may be omitted and both units moved in unison by the motor M of carriage I5 when it is desired to move the whole machine transversely out of alignment over the roll table. In this case, only one limit switch IN is required.

The blowpipe head supporting mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to '7, inclusive, may be quickly adapted for desurfacing other shapes than beam blanks by removing the blowpipe heads H and substituting therefor other appropriate blowpipe heads; For example, the mechanism can be arranged for desurfacing the edge surfaces only of steel slabs. A suitable blowpipe head arrangement for desurfacing the edges of steel plates is illustrated in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive. Only the forward portion of the frame 32 including the carrier plate 31 with its hooks 83 is illustrated. A blowpipe mounting plate I18 is supported on the carrier 31 by engagement with the hooks 83 through holes I19 in the plate and by screws 11.

The plate to be treated is shown at P supported on the rolls R or conveyo C. In order to provide clearance for the desurfacing machine the frame of the conveyor C is divided and the blowpipe heads disposed in the space between rolls R. 1

The blowpipe shoes I are mounted against the lower portion of the front face of the plate I18 and arranged so that the row of nozzles N is vertical for directing a substantially sheetlike stream of gas against the vertical face of the edge of the plate P. The nozzles N connect to a nozzle header I84 within the shoe I80 and the blowpipes I85 supply the gases to the header I84. Air-blast nozzles I99 for controlling the slag flow are also secured to the plate I18, the upper nozzle I99 adjacent the upper face of the plate P by a bracket H1 and the lower nozzle I99 adjacent the lower face of the plate P by a bracket II8. To maintain the nozzles N in alignment with the edge surface .of the plate during the desurfacing operation,

guide rollers II9 are also secured to the plate I18. The roller II9 has a horizontal transverse axle which is journaled in a bracket hearing I20 and an outer bearing I2I, both secured to the plate I18.. The outer bearing I2I is also provided with guides I22 and I23 extending respectively forwardly and rearwardly. The lower edges of the guides I22 and I23 slope upwardly in order that the edge of a slab engaging with the guide I22 will lift the blowpipe head upward if it should be too low before the plate moves under the roller. The guides I23 prevent too rapid dropping of the head when the leaving end of the slab passes from under the guide roller II9. If the 'slab edge is narrower than the row of nozzles N, the nozzles that are beyond the edge surface may be disconnected and the openings therefor plugged.

The means for spacing the blowpipe heads with respect to the edges of a slab shown in Figs. 8 and 9 comprises a fluid power cylinder I25 having one end pivotally carried by a bracket I26 secured to the upper left corner of the lefthand carrier Plate 31. The piston rod I21 extends rightwardly and is pivotally connected to a stud I28 extending outwardly from a slide I29. The slide I29 is horizontally adjustable along the upper edge of the right-hand carrier 31 by engagement with the threads of a screw I30 having a hand-wheel I3I and is supported in horizontal guide ways I32. This mechanism for spacing the machine units D and E is preferably employed in place of that shown in Figs. 6 and 7 when desurfacing slabs. In such cases both carriages l4 and f5 are-preferably individually motor driven. The spacing device illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 is adjusted by means of hand-wheel l3! so that the shoes I80 are a wider distance apart than the width of the plate P, and when the rollers H9 are lowered into contact with the top of the slab P, fluid under pressure is admitted to the'rod end of the cylinder 125 so that the shoes I80 are drawn toward each other and maintained in contact with the edge faces of the plate P during the desurfacing operation.

An alternative conveyor arrangement that may be employed when desurfacing slabs is illustrated in Fig. 11 and is useful when it is desired to move the shoes I80 along a stationary slab P. The left-edge portion only of the plate P to be treated is shown supported on a relatively narrow conveyor C, so that both edges of the plate overhang the side of the conveyor. A suitable conveyor is one in which the supporting bearings for the roll shafts H5 are located between roller sections H6. The roller sections H6 are of larger diameter than the bearings H4 so that the plate P is supported clear of the tops of the bearings. The rolls H8 may be power driven in the customary manner, for example, by gearings connected to the shafts I I5 at an intermediate point thereof. It will be seen that by the use of a roll table which is narrower than the width of the narrowest slab to be treated, it is possible for the blowpipe heads to be moved along the edges of the slab instead of the slabs being moved along the conveyor. It is also possible to desurface the edges of very short slabs since a wide clearance space between conveyor rollers is then not necessary.

The machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 is pref- I erably operated from a control table on a platform located at a point from which the operator has full view of the nozzles and the work. While the machine is removed from a position I over the roll table, the operator adjusts the spacing desired between carriages I4 and I5 by either setting the cams I03 at the proper position on the beam I! or, if the machine is equipped with the spacer mechanism shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the operator will adjust a controller that regulates and energizes the motor H2 to operate in the proper direction for the proper length of time to space the carriages l4 and IS the desired distance apart according to the width of beam blank to be treated. The operator next causes the carriage motor or motors M to be energized so as to cause the machine to roll transversely along the track T until the heads H are aligned over the roll table C. The roll table is then operated to run a beam blank 3- into position under the machine. The operator then admits air under pressure to the head end of the cylinder 68 to cause the heads H to lower into contact with the beam blank. Air under pressure is also maintained in the rod end of the cylinder 52 so that the majorportion of the weight of the heads H is counterbalanced. The beam blank is positioned so that the heads H are relatively close to the entering end of the blank. The operator now turns on the supply of heating gas mixture, preferably by remote control valves, the gas mixture being, ignited by the hot surface of the beam blank. If the surface is not hot enough, the gas may be ignited by providing an electric spark or a pilot flame located sufliciently close to the gas stream. After a few seconds, the preheating flames will have heated a portion of the surface metal to the ignition temperature and the operator thereupon turns on the oxygen supply to furnish desurfacing oxygen to the nozzles. The oxygen issuing from the nozzles reacts with the heated surface metal and converts the same into a fluid slag which flows forwardly. Simultaneously with the turning on of a the desurfacing oxygen, the operator also energizes the roll-table driving means which moves the beam blank along the conveyor C and through the machine at a predetermined rate of speed (between about 100 and about 200 feet per minute); and even though the surfaces contacted by the nozzle shoes and 8| may be irregular or slightly warped the shoes are maintained in accurate alignment in close contact with the immediate surface by moving responsively to such surface irregularities in the vertical transverse plane. When the trailing end of the beam blank is reached, the operator operates a control which shuts off all the gas supply for both heating flames and cutting oxygen. The same operation also releases air from the head end of cylinder 68 and applies air pressure'to the rod end of the cylinder thereby retracting the piston rod 6'! and lifting the blowpipe head H upward. The

guides 14 and 15 contacting with the stops 16- shift the carrier 31 and heads H back to the normal position if they have been moved out of aligmnent laterally by misalignment of the beam blank just passed through the machine. The machine will then be ready to be lowered into position for conditioning the next beam blank. If desired, the heads H can be allowed to drop off of the leaving end of the beam blank. In this event, a limit switch is operated by such movement to produce an electrical impulse that will automatically operate the valves that shut off the gases and the relay switchesthat control the stopping of the roll table. Such a limit switch is also useful to prevent movement of a body along the roll table when the heads are in the extreme downward position and thereby prevent accidental damage to the machine. l ien the upper surfaces 82 and 86 of a beam blank have been conditioned, the beam blank is run along the conveyor C into a beam-blank manipulating machine of the customary type that turns it over to present the reverse side for desurfacing. The beam blank B is then r111. backward along the conveyor table C until it is in the proper position and the corresponding surfaces opposite to the surfaces 82 and 86 are desurfaced.

The invention is not limited to the exact details disclosed and it will be seen that certain features of the invention may be used inde pendently of others and changes may be made in various features of the apparatus without departing from the essentials of theinvention. For example, although the mechanisms herein described in detail are especially adapted for desurfacing steel beam blanks or slabs it is contemplated that the same principles are applicable to mechanism for removing scale from the surfaces of beam blanks, slab edges, semi-finished rails, and other shapes. Furthermore, types of blowpipes other than surface metal removing blowpipes may be employed, for example; a blowpipe providing a continuous sheet-like gas stream; or rows of blowpipe nozzles each having more than one oxidizing gas orifice; or rows of blowpipe nozzles each having a slot-like oxidizing gas orifice producing rows of ribbon-like oxidizing gas streams which form, in effect,.continuous sheet-like streams; or blowpipes providing single rows of separate high-temperature flames directed substantially perpendicularly against the work. It is also contemplated that another multiple blowpipe shoe similar to the shoe 8| may be substituted for the guide shoe 92 when it is desired to condition opposite surfaces of a steel shape.

Relative movement between steel shapes and the blowpipe heads may be effected by moving the'shapes along the roll table as described or by maintaining. the shapes stationary and longitudinally moving the blowpipe heads,as by mounting the track T on a carriage having wheels that run on rails which extend parallel to the roll table.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for thermallyv conditioning longitudinal surface areas of ferrous metal bodies, the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction along the surface areas to be conditioned; blowpipe means for applying gas against said surface areas; mechanism for supporting said blowpipe means on said frame in an operative position adjacent said surface areas, said, mechanism providing universal movement of said blowpipe means substantially in a transverse plane relative to said body, and said mechanism being arranged for maintaining said blowpipe means in operative relation to said areas irrespective of variations in successive portions of said areas during said relative movement therealong and for permitting movement of said blowpipe means toward and away from said body; means for raising and lowering said blowpipe means; and means operative during the upward movement of said blowpipe means for shifting said blowpipe means transversely into normal alignment with said frame when displaced from such alignment in the lowered position.

2. In apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinal surface areas of ferrous metal bodies, the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction along the surface areas to be conditioned; blowpipe means for applying gas against said surface areas; mechanism for supporting said blowpipe means on said frame in an operative position adjacent said surface areas, said mechanism providing universal movement of said blowpipe means in a substantially transverse plane relative to said body, and said mechanism being arranged for maintaining said blowpipe means in operative relation to said areas irrespective of variations in successive portions of said areas during said relative movement therealong and for permitting movement of said blowpipe means toward and away from said body; means for raising and lowering said blowpipe means; guides on said frame; and means on said supporting mechanism for slidably engaging said guides to shift said blowpipe means transversely into normal alignment with said frame during upward movement of said blowpipe means if displaced from such alignment when lowered.

3. In apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinal surface areas of ferrous metal bodies, the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction along the surface areas to be conditioned; blowpipe means for applying gas against said surface areas; mechanism for supporting said blowpipe means on said frame in an operative position adjacent said surface areas, said mechanism providing universal movement of said blowpipe means substantially in a transverse plane relative to said body, and said mechanism being arranged for maintaining said blowpipe means in operative relation to said areas irrespective of variations in successive portions of said areas during said relative movement therealong and for permitting movement of said blowpipe means toward and away from said body; means cooperating with said supporting mechanism for lifting said blowpipe means comprising a toggle having ends pivoted to said mechanism for raising said blowpipe means when straightened; and power-actuated means for straightening said toggle.

4. In apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinal surface areas of ferrous metal bodies, the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction along the surface areas to be conditioned; blowpipe means for applying gas against said surface areas; mechanism including both vertically and horizontally swingable links for supporting said blowpipe means on said frame in an operative position adjacent said surface areas, said mechanism providing universal movement of said blowpipe means substantially in a transverse plane relative to said body, said mechanism being arranged for maintaining said blowpipe means in operative relation to said areas irrespective of variations in successive portions of said areas during said relative movement therealong and for permitting movement of said blowpipe means toward and away from said body; and means cooperating with said supporting mechanism for lifting said blowpipe means comprising a toggle having ends pivoted to said mechanism for raising said blowpipe means when straightened, power-actuated means for straightening said toggle, and means on said toggle for locking said heads in the upward position, said locking means being adapted for release only by operation of said power-actuated means.

5. In apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinal surface areas of ferrous metal bodies, the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction along the surface areas to be conditioned; blowpipe means for applying gas against said surface areas comprising at least two nozzle headers disposed at an angle to each other, said angle corresponding to the dihedral angle formed by two of said longitudinal surface areas; means for adjusting the angular relation between said nozzle headers in accordance with the shape of said body; and mechanism for supporting said nozzle headers on said frame in an operative position adjacent said surface areas, said mechanism providing universal movement of said blowpipe means substantially in a transverse plane relative to said body, and said mechanism being arranged for maintaining said blowpipe means in operative relation to said areas irrespective of variations in successive portions of said areas during said relative movement therealong and for permitting movement of said blowpipe means toward and away from said body.

6. In apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinal surface areas of ferrous metal bodies, the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction along the surface areas to be conditioned; blowpipe means for applying gas against said surface areas, said blowpipe means comprising a nozzle header adjacent an upper surface of said body, a-second nozzle header adjacent a lateral side surface of said body, and yieldable following means in contact with a surface of said body opposite s'aid lateral side surface for holding said nozzle headers in operative relation with the respective surfaces adjacent thereto; and mechanism for supporting said blowpipe means on said frame in an operative position adjacent said surface areas, said mechanism providing universal movement of said blowpipe means substantially in a transverse plane relative to said body, and said mechanism being arranged for maintaining said blowpipe means in operative relation to said areas irrespective of variations in successive portions of said areas during said relative movement there-.-

along and for permitting movement of said blowpipe means toward and away' from said body.

7. In apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinal surface areas 'of ferrous metal bodies,

the combination comprising a frame; means for plate to said frame, a toggle having ends respectively pivotally connected with at least one of said vertically swingable links and with said rear plate, and power-actuated means mounted on said rear plate and operatively connectedwith the hinge portion of said toggle for raising and lowering said front plate and blowpipe means thereon.

8. In apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinal surface areas of ferrous metal bodies, the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction along the surface areas to be conditioned; blowpipe means for applying gas against said surface areas; mechanism for supporting said blowpipe means on said frame in an operative position adjacent said surface areas, said mechanism comprising a front plate secured to said blowpipe means, a rear plate, parallel vertically swingable links pivoted to and connecting center line connecting the end pivots of said toggle.

9. In apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinal surface areas of ferrous metal bodies,

the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction along the surface areas to be conditioned; blowpipe means for applying gas against said surface areas; mechanism for supporting said blowpipe means on said frame in -an operative position adjacent said surface areas; said mechanism comprising a front plate secured to said blowpipe means, a rear plate, parallel vertically swingable links pivoted to and connecting said front and rear plates, parallel horizontally swingable links connecting said rear plate to said frame; and power-actuated means mounted on said rear plate and connected with said vertically swingable links for raising and lowering said front plate and blowpipe means thereon; wedgeshaped guide plates on said frame; and brackets secured to said front plate and positioned for engagement with said guide plates for shifting said front plate into alignment with said frame when the said front plate and blowpipe means thereon are moved upwardly by said power-actuated means, the distance between said guide plates being slightly greater than the distance between the guide engaging surfaces of said brackets,

10. In apparatus for thermally conditioning laterally spaced, longitudinally extending surface areas of ferrous metal bodies the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction longitudinally of the body; a pair of independent blowpipe heads for applying gas against said surface areas; independent mechanisms, for supporting each of said blowpipe heads on said frame in operative positions adjacent respective laterally spaced surface areas;

said mechanisms providing universal movement of said blowpipe heads in planes transverse to said body whereby said blowpipe heads are maintained in operativ'e relation to said areas during said relative movement irrespective of variations in successive portions of said areas, said mechanism also permitting movement of said blowpipe means toward and away from said areas; and adjustable means pivotally connecting said heads for regulating the separation between said heads,

11. In apparatus for thermally conditioning laterally spaced, longitudinally extending surface areas of ferrous metal bodies the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction longitudinally of the body; a pair of independent blowpipe heads for applying gas against said surface areas; independent machanisms, for supporting each of said blowpipe heads on said frame in operative positions adja cent respective laterally spaced surface areas; said mechanisms providing universal movement of said blowpipe heads in planes transverse to said body whereby said blowpipe heads are maintained in operative relation to said areas during said relative movement irrespective of variations in successive portions of said areas, said mechanism also permitting movement of said blowpipe means toward and away from said areas; and means pivotally interconnecting said heads comprising a fluid operated device for moving said heads toward and away from each other through a limited range of movement, and adjustable means for regulating the separation between said heads.

12. In apparatus for thermally conditioning the lateral edge surfaces of steel slabs, and the like, the combination comprising a frame; means for effecting relative movement between the slab and the frame in adirection parallel to said edge surfaces; a pair of independent blowpipe heads adapted to apply gas against said edge surfaces;

5 independent mechanisms including a carrier for supporting each of said heads in operative positions adjacent respective edge surfaces, said carriers being independently movable in planes transverse to said slab, and means pivotally connected to each carrier for moving said heads toward and away from each other and for maintaining said heads in operative positions againsti said lateral edge surfaces during said relative movement.

13. In apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinal surface areas of ferrous metal bodies, the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of the body and the frame in a direction along the surface areas to be conditioned; a carrier plate supported on said frame; blowpipe means secured to said carrier plate for applying gas against said surface areas and comprising at least one fixed nozzle header and an adjustable nozzle header, said adjustable header being movable in a plane parallel to said carrier plate for adjusting both the separation and the angular relation between said headers; and mechanism for supporting said carrier plate and said nozzle headers on'said frame in an operative position adjacent said surface areas, said mechanism providing universal movement of said blowpipe means substantially in a transverse plane relative to said body, said mechanism being arranged for maintaining said blowpipe means in operative relation to said areas irrespective of variations in successive portions of said areas during said relative movement there- 8 mouse 16. Apparatus for thermally conditioning surface areas of ferrous metal bodies comprising means for supporting such body in a position to be operated upon; a pair 'of heads each having blowpipe means for projecting gas against sur face portions of said body; means for effecting relative movement between said heads and said body in a direction lengthwise of said body; supporting ways extending transversely of said body; independent means including a frame for supporting each of said heads in operative positions with respect to said surface portions to be treated and maintaining said heads in such positions during said relative movement; a pair of carriages each supporting one of said frames and movable along said ways for moving said heads transversely of said body; means for driving at least one of said carriages along said ways; and motor driven means connecting said carriages for regulating the separation between said heads.

17. Apparatus for thermally conditioning surface areas of ferrous metal bodies comprising means for supporting such body in a position to be operated upon;a pair'. of heads each having along and for permitting movement of said blowpipe means toward and away from said body.

14. Apparatus for thermally conditioning surface areas of ferrous metal bodies comprising means for supporting such body in a position to be operated upon; a pair of heads each having blowpipe means for projecting gas against surface portions of said body; means for effecting relative movement between said heads and said body in a direction lengthwise of said body; supporting ways extending transversely of said body; independent means including a frame for supporting each of said heads in operative positions with respect to said surface portions to be treated and maintaining said heads in such positions during said relative movement; and a pair of independently motor driven carriages each supporting one of said frames and movable along said ways for moving said heads transversely of said body whereby each head may be individually positioned laterally with respect to said body.

15. Apparatus for thermally conditioning surface areas of ferrous metal bodies comprising means for supporting such body in a position to be operated upon; a pair of heads each having blowpipe means for projecting gas against surface portions of said body; means for effecting relative movement between said heads and said body in a direction lengthwise of said body; supporting ways extending transversely of said body; independent means including a frame for supporting each of said heads in operative positions with respect to said surface portions to be treated and maintaining said heads in such positions during said relative movement; a pair of carriages each supporting one of said frames and movable along said ways for moving said heads transversely of said body, at least one of said carriages being motor driven along said ways; and adjustable means for connecting said carriages for adjusting the separation between said heads.

blowpipe means for projecting gas against surface portions of said body; means for effecting relative movement between said heads and said body in a direction lengthwise of said body; supporting ways extending transversely of said body; independent means including a frame for supporting each of said heads in operative positions with-respect to said surface portions to be treated and maintaining said heads in such positions during said relative movement; a pair of carriages each supporting one of said frames and movable along said ways for moving said heads transversely of said body; means for driving at least one of said carriages along said ways; and mechanism for regulating the separation between said heads including fluid operated means for moving said heads toward and away from each other.

18. Apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinally extending surface areas of ferrous metal bodies comprising, in combination, two

' independent frames; means for causing relative movement of such body and the frames in a direction along the surface areas of the body to be conditioned; a pair of blowpipe means for applying gas against said surface areas; an independent mechanism for supporting each of said blowpipe means on 'a corresponding one of said frames in an operative position adjacent a corresponding one of said surface areas, each of said mechanisms comprising a front plate secured to said blowpipe means, a rear plate, parallel vertically swingable links pivoted to and connecting said front and rear plates, parallel horizontally swingable links connecting said rear plate to said frame, power-actuated means mounted on said rear plate and connected with said vertically swingable links for raising and lowering said front plate and blowpipe means thereon, and pneumatic means secured to said rear plate and connected with said vertically swingable links for counterbalancing a substantial portion of the weight of said front plate and blowpipe means thereon, said pneumatic means being horizontally movable with said rear plate and said blowpipe means; supporting ways extending transversely of said body; a pair of carriages each supporting one of said frames and movable along said ways whereby said blowpipe means may be positioned laterally with respect to said body.

19. In apparatus for thermally conditioning longitudinal surface areas of ferrous metal bodies, the combination comprising a frame; means for causing relative movement of such a body and the frame in a direction along the surface area of the body to be conditioned; blowpipe means for applying gas against said surface area; and mechanism for supporting said blowpipe means on said framein an operative position adjacent said surface areas, said mechanism comprising a front plate secured to said blowpipe means, a rear plate, parallel vertically swingable links pivoted to and connecting said front and rear plates, parallel horizontallyswingable links connecting said rear plate to said rear frame, power-actuated means connected between said rear plate and said front plate for raising and lowering said front plate and blowpipe means thereon; and pneumatic means connected between said rear plate and said front plate for counterbalancing a substantial portion of the weight of said front plate and biowpipe means thereon. A

JAMES H. BUCKNAM. MELVIN J. HARRIS.

ALFRED J. MILLER.

- CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,29 25; September a, 19m.

JAMES H. BUCKNAH, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: In the heading to the drawi g Sheets 1 to 6 inclusive, for the filing date May 5, 1958 read May 5, 1959; page 1, second column, line 58, 'for "of" read --on--; page 8, first column, line 11., claim 12, strike out the comma after "slab" and insert instead a sexfiicolon; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conformto the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed thisth day of October, A. D. 19142.

Henry Van Arsdale, I (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

